Once Upon Another Time
by Drowned Mermaid
Summary: "Don't you get it, Granger? Riddle desires what other people desire." "So?" "So, you need to be... desirable." Time travel fic!
1. I

Author's Note: This is my first story, hope you all enjoy it!

Disclaimer: I do not own anyone/anything from the Harry Potter universe.

* * *

**Once Upon Another Time**

**I**

_Do not kill Malfoy. Do not kill Malfoy._

Hermione glared at the blond boy walking in front of her. He had been complaining incessantly the entire trip up to the left corridor on the seventh floor. Hermione had always thought herself to be a patient person, but Draco Malfoy always managed to get on each and every one of her nerves.

_Do not kill Malfoy._

"Are you sure this is the right room, Granger?" Draco questioned as they stepped into the Room of Requirement.

"Yes, Malfoy, this is the Room of Hidden Things," Hermione replied through gritted teeth.

"Doesn't seem like a very good place to hide a Horcrux," he commented as he scanned the cluttered room.

"Which is probably the same reason why it is."

"I can't believe I'm wasting a perfectly good Saturday looking for a bleeding tiara!"

Hermione still couldn't believe she was working with Draco Malfoy in order to find Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem. Draco Malfoy, the Death Eater's son. The boy who called her a Mudblood, the boy who always managed to throw a hurtful insult at her when he passed her in the corridors, the boy who hit her with a Tooth-Growing Spell. Sure, he hadn't intended the hex to hit her, but he didn't seem too disappointed that it did. Hermione guessed she should thank him in a way, as he was the reason why her two front teeth were no longer awkwardly large.

Everything had changed at the end of their Fifth Year. He came back home for the summer holiday expecting to be greeted at the grand foyer of Malfoy Manor by his doting mother, only to find her cold and dead on the pristine marble floor. Draco was certain that Lord Voldemort had killed her as punishment for Lucius' failure at the Battle of the Department of Mysteries. With one parent dead and the other in Azkaban, Draco returned for the new school year a changed man. Sure, he was still arrogant, unfriendly, and a blood-elitist, but he was on a mission to avenge his mother. He turned to the Order of the Phoenix, whose members were highly suspicious of his intentions at first, but he soon gained their trust by providing valuable information on Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Hermione couldn't help but feel pity towards him. Unsurprisingly, Harry and Ron refused to accept Draco, and their hatred towards him was stronger than ever.

"Finding that _bleeding tiara _is the only way that we can defeat Voldemort and save the whole world," Hermione said matter-of-factly. She noted how Draco winced slightly when she mentioned The Dark Lord's name. "I think that's worth your Saturday, don't you?"

"Look at all this worthless rubbish! You can't expect me to just rifle through all this, it'll take days. Weeks, even!" He was right. The Room of Hidden Things was like a rubbish dump, so full that there was hardly any free floor space to navigate around the room.

"Malfoy! Just stop complaining and look for the diadem!" she snapped.

Draco gave her a displeased look. "Fine," he finally said.

Hermione decided to move to the other side of the room so she wouldn't have the urge to put her hands around his neck and strangle him. She started to examine a very tall pile, her eyes trying to spot anything that resembled a diadem.

Something shiny caught her eye. Sitting on top of a damaged cupboard was a small gold box. It looked very expensive, and the carvings on the lid made it look ancient.

"It's beautiful," she breathed.

"You found the diadem?" she heard Draco's voice from a distance.

"No, but—"

"Not interested," he interrupted. Hermione rolled her eyes.

Hermione traced her dainty fingers across the top of the box, before slowly opening it. A blinding light shone out suddenly, causing Hermione to step back and shield her eyes. Then the box began to shake, and the entire room followed suit.

Uh oh…

"What's happening?!" Draco yelled, running towards her. "Granger, what did you do?!"

"I just… I just opened it! I don't know!"

"Come on, we have to get out of here!" he grabbed her arm roughly and yanked her towards the door. They both ran towards the door as fast as their legs allowed while trying to avoid the objects falling from the piles around them. Hermione felt like her heart was racing faster than ever before. She didn't understand what was happening.

Suddenly, the light caught up to them and engulfed the whole room.

Everything was white.

* * *

Voices. There were lots of voices, and the sound of footsteps.

Hermione felt herself slowly regaining consciousness. She realised she was sprawled on the ground, and it was uncomfortably cold and wet. Her head was spinning so much, she thought like she was going to puke. Slowly, she opened her eyes and waited for her vision to adjust. She was in a very dark alleyway, with Draco lying next to her. Her body ached all over, but she managed to push herself up so that she was sitting upright.

"What happened?" Her voice cracked as she spoke, as if she hadn't spoken for a long time.

"Where are we?" Draco asked as he sat up, clutching his head. Hermione assumed he was experiencing the same horrible headache that she was.

"I have no clue," she said. "Definitely not Hogwarts."

It took Hermione all of her strength to stand up and peer out of the alleyway. It was a busy street, lined with many shops. She instantly recognised where they were.

"We're in Diagon Alley!" she exclaimed with relief. Draco and Hermione walked out and looked around them.

Draco turned to her, a frown on his aristocratic face. "Why does everything look so different?"

Something was definitely wrong. There were some shops that Hermione had never seen before, and everyone was dressed in out-dated clothes that made her feel like she was in one of the old black and white movies that her parents liked to watch.

Hermione froze. _Wait a minute…_

She spotted a newspaper stand nearby, rushed to it and grabbed a newspaper from the stack. The headline read in big bold letters: GRINDELWALD ATTACKS CONTINUE.

Was this Gellert Grindelwald? Wasn't he rotting in a cell in Nurmengard?

She looked in the top corner of the page for today's date.

August 20th, 1944.

Her eyes widened in shock. This was impossible!

"Malfoy…" she whispered, looking at Draco apprehensively. He looked back at her, waiting for her to continue. She hesitantly handed him the newspaper. He stared at the front page, taking a few seconds to read it.

"Oh, fuck."


	2. II

Author's Note: Thank you for the reviews, guys!

* * *

**Once Upon Another Time**

**II**

"Fuck. FUCK!"

"Malfoy, shhhh—"

"FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK!" Draco continued to shout hysterically, his face contorted with shock and panic.

"Stop it!" Hermione grabbed him by the arms to get his attention.

"That is no way to talk, young man!" a rather plump elderly woman scolded him as she walked by. She wasn't the only one who had taken notice; almost everybody around was glaring at them disapprovingly. They must have looked very strange indeed, especially considering the clothes they were wearing.

"Stop it, you're making a scene," Hermione told the blond boy.

"Granger, how did this happen?!" he hissed.

"I don't know!"

"That's impossible, you know everything!" Hermione wasn't sure if it was an insult or a veiled compliment. Knowing Draco Malfoy, it was probably the former.

"Well I don't know what's going on now! Let's just… calm down."

"It's that bloody thing you touched in the Room of Requirement!" he glared at her accusingly. "Why did you touch it?!"

"I apologize Malfoy, but usually when you touch things, they don't send you fifty-two years into the past!" she made sure to lower her voice so nobody could hear her.

"I knew it was a bad idea to go looking for that diadem!"

"Well it's too late to talk about that now! Let's just find a way to get back."

"How do we do that?"

"If you're not going to buy that, put it down! This isn't a library!" the man at the newspaper stand shouted at them. Hermione looked down at Draco's hand, and sure enough he was still holding the newspaper in his hand. Draco gave the man his signature sneer and threw the newspaper back onto the pile.

"I know! We should find Dumbledore!" Hermione suggested.

"I really don't think that old coot would be any help to us now!"

"Let's hear some of your marvellous ideas then!" she crossed her arms.

Draco pondered for a few seconds before saying, "We should go to Malfoy Manor. If it really is 1944, my great-grandfather Lotharius and my grandfather Abraxas should be alive."

"Why would I ever want to go there?! That's a horrible idea! They'll probably laugh at us and then kick us out onto the street!"

"Malfoys always take care of their own!" he said.

"I think you've forgotten, you don't exist yet!" she raised her voice, getting more and more fed up with Draco by the second.

"Fine, then!" Draco said. "How are we supposed to find Dumbledore? It's not like we know where he lives!"

"We're in Diagon Alley. I'm sure if we ask around, someone will know where to find him."

"If we don't find Dumbledore in the next two hours, I'm going to Malfoy Manor. With or without you."

Hermione's only reply was an irritated growl.

* * *

One hour and thirty-nine minutes later, they found themselves sitting in Professor Dumbledore's cosy living room.

Both Hermione and Draco sat in awkward silence as they watched their future headmaster pace back and forth in front of the roaring fireplace, contemplating the vast amount of information that they had just told him. Despite the fact that this Albus Dumbledore was obviously much younger than the one they knew, not much else was different about him. He still possessed the same demeanour, the same soothing voice, and even wore the same half-moon spectacles.

After what seemed like an eternity, the old wizard finally spoke. "Well, this seems to be a very serious predicament that you two have gotten yourselves into."

"One of us, actually," Draco said pointedly. "It was her fault."

"Was that really necessary?" Hermione turned to glare at him.

"Of course it was." he scoffed. "I don't want him to think I'm an idiot!"

"You're calling _me_ an idiot?!" she questioned, scandalised. Draco opened his mouth to say what was sure to be an offensive retort, when Dumbledore cleared his throat loudly.

"I have some friends who can help you," Dumbledore said. Both Hermione and Draco immediately turned their attention to him.

"Who?" Hermione asked.

"William and Vivian Fawley."

"You're joking." Draco frowned.

"Do you know them?" Hermione questioned him.

"Yes, I know them. They used to come to my mother's charity galas," Draco said. "Bitter old couple. The Fawley family is part of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, but their bloodline is coming to an end because they couldn't have any children."

"Sacred Twenty-Eight?" she asked.

"Of course _you_ wouldn't know, Granger," he answered haughtily. "It was a list that someone made of all the wizarding families in the UK that are still completely Pureblood. Mind you, by our time only about half of those families will still be on that list."

Hermione rolled her eyes. _Of course _those blood-elitists would have created such a thing.

"I'm sorry Professor, but how are they supposed to help us get back to our time?" Hermione asked the old wizard.

"They can't. It is unclear how long you will be here for. The Fawleys will be able to take care of you for the duration of your stay, while I try to find out more about this time travel business," Dumbledore said.

"But why would they agree to help?" Draco queried.

"Mr. Fawley sees himself as indebted to me. I once saved his life – unfortunate incident with a couple of hags," Dumbledore explained, chuckling as he seemed to replay the event in his head.

"Wait, Professor…" Hermione had been thinking quietly, when something suddenly dawned on her. "1944… Is there a student at Hogwarts by the name of Tom Riddle?"

"What?" Draco blinked.

"Why yes, Miss Granger, there is. Why do you ask?" there was a curious glint in Dumbledore's eyes.

"Professor, I'm not sure if I can tell yo—"

"Everyone in our time knows Tom Riddle, because he is going to become the most dangerous dark wizard in history," Draco said matter-of-factly.

Hermione let out a small gasp, but Dumbledore seemed completely unsurprised by Draco's words. "Yes, I have had my eye on Tom Riddle for a while now," he said, nodding slowly.

"Malfoy! We can't say anything that will affect the future!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Why not?" Draco snarled. "Don't you realise what this means, Granger? We can stop him from becoming the Dark Lord!"

"This isn't the right way to do it! We could cause a lot of damage to the timeline!"

"We could also save Potter's parents. We could save thousands of innocent people from dying. We could save my mother!"

"How? Are you suggesting we just kill him?"

"Why not?" Draco said without blinking. Hermione could tell he was being completely serious.

"I'm afraid I cannot allow that, Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore interrupted.

"Malfoy, forget it. You're not thinking rationally," Hermione said as she tried to dismiss the idea.

"Maybe it's time for you to _stop_ thinking rationally!" Draco shouted. "What if we were sent back to this time for a reason?"

"There is no reason! It was just an accident!"

"So you'd rather just go back to a time where everybody lives in fear? Where people die everyday?"

"Of course not! I have been fighting Voldemort for far longer than you have!" she reminded him defensively.

"Then prove it! We can stop all those years of suffering from happening!"

Hermione's mind was spinning. Not only did she have to deal with a manic Draco Malfoy relentlessly shouting in her face, she also still felt a little queasy. She had assumed it was just a side effect of time travel, but now she was starting to think it was a side effect of spending too much time with the Slytherin git. No matter how much she loathed Draco, a part of her knew that if they were able to prevent Tom Riddle from becoming Lord Voldemort now, they would solve all their future problems. After years of fighting alongside Harry and Ron, Hermione's biggest fear had become losing them. But if she were to fight Tom Riddle now… the safety of Harry, Ron and all their friends and loved ones wouldn't even be at risk! The thought of protecting them all suddenly made Draco's outrageous plan sound a little less outrageous.

"How would we stop him?" Hermione asked. "Professor Dumbledore just said killing him is out of the question."

"I understand your desire to eliminate Tom Riddle due to his future crimes, but at the present he has not yet committed any and therefore I cannot allow you to harm him," Dumbledore said.

"Actually Professor, if my information correct, Tom Riddle has already made his second Horcrux," she told him.

"Second?"

"The second of many. Seven, to be exact."

"I see."

"Alright, so if we can't kill him, what can we do to stop him?" Draco inquired.

"We could pretend to befriend him and change his mind," Hermione said.

Draco's response to her suggestion was a rather rude snigger. "Granger, please don't tell me you are naïve enough to believe that the Dark Lord would ever give up his plans for a couple of _friends_. He doesn't even know what friends are!"

"Well, maybe we need to learn more about him first before we come up with a plan. I mean if we really are going to do this, we need to do it right," she said, exasperated. "We can go to Hogwarts and observe him."

"I believe I could arrange that." Dumbledore nodded in agreement with her. "If you want to be able to observe Mr. Riddle close enough, you will both have to pose as Slytherin students in his year. I'm sure the Fawleys would be more than happy to act as your parents."

"Nobody would believe that. The Fawleys are a well-known family, everyone knows they don't have any children," Draco said.

"Ahh yes, but they are also a very private family who could have many secrets the public are not aware of."

"Professor, could you talk to them about this first to see whether or not they could help us?" Hermione asked.

"I'll send them an owl now," Dumbledore announced. The moment he left the room, Draco and Hermione scowled at each other.

"This is crazy!" Hermione snapped.

"It would only be crazy if we passed this opportunity up," Draco said. "We can kill Voldemort and then go back home and you can carry on with your happy little life with Potter and Weasel, and I can get my mother back."

Hermione frowned. "I don't think it's that simple, Malfoy."

"We both know Tom Riddle with two Horcruxes would be a million times easier to kill than Voldemort with seven," Draco said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"You heard Dumbledore. We can't kill him. We'll have to come up with another plan."

"Whatever," Draco muttered, crossing his arms.

Dumbledore returned shortly after, much to Hermione's relief. She didn't think she could stand spending any more time alone in Draco's presence.

"I've sent the Fawleys a letter asking them to come to my house as soon as possible. Hopefully they are available today. It is a Sunday after all," Dumbledore said. "While we are waiting, perhaps you two would like to take a quick nap in one of the spare bedrooms upstairs? You must be exhausted after your journey."

"No thank you, Professor," Hermione declined politely.

"Actually Professor, I'll take you up on that offer. Perhaps when I wake up I'll find that this was all a terrible nightmare and that I am not really stuck in the past with Gryffindor's resident know-it-all," Draco said before standing up and leaving.

"What a pleasant boy," Dumbledore said in a light, sarcastic tone.

Hermione couldn't help but let out a laugh.


	3. III

Author's Note: Hi guys! This chapter took a lot longer to write than I was hoping it would, mostly because I've been pretty busy with school. Hopefully I'll be able to post future chapters faster. And to my reviewers, thank you so much, you are all lovely!

* * *

**Once Upon Another Time**

**III**

Hermione didn't know how long she had been sitting there, cross-legged by the fireplace, her eyes fixed on the dancing flames but her mind a world away.

She liked the warmth of the fire. It reminded her of the long nights that she liked to spend sitting around the fireplace in the Gryffindor common room with Harry and Ron, when everyone else had gone to bed. They would stay there for hours until the early hours of morning, talking about just about anything. The three of them had always shared every adventure together. And now she was here. Alone, confused, and without her best friends…

"Miss Granger." Dumbledore's voice broke Hermione out of her reverie. "The Fawleys are at the front door. Would you mind waking Mr. Malfoy up from his nap? He's in the first room on the left when you go upstairs."

"Oh, of course, sir," Hermione said and stood up from the carpet. Part of her right foot had gone numb as a result of her sitting still for so long.

She exited the living room and ascended the wooden staircase in the hallway. When she reached the top of the stairs she opened the first door on the left, just as Dumbledore had instructed her. It was a very simple but still comfortable-looking bedroom, where she found a sleeping blond Slytherin on the bed. His chest was slowly rising and falling with each soft breath. He looked so unusually vulnerable and innocent that it almost made Hermione smile to herself.

"Malfoy, wake up," she said.

No response.

"Malfoy," she repeated, slightly louder.

Still nothing.

"Malfoy!" she poked his shoulder. Draco finally stirred and squinted his eyes open.

"What?" he moaned sleepily, obviously not happy to have been woken up by a Gryffindor.

"Finally! You sleep like a rock."

"So, not a nightmare then," he said.

"What?" Hermione stared at him.

"All this."

"Just come downstairs. The Fawleys are here," she said impatiently, crossing her arms.

"Great," Draco spat as he sat up. Hermione noticed that his hair was slightly dishevelled. "They're about as interesting to talk to as a brick wall."

Hermione chose to ignore his comment, and they both made their way downstairs without another word to each other. Dumbledore was waiting for them in the hallway by the front door along with a man and a woman who were dressed very elegantly.

"Ah, there you two are. I'd like you both to meet William and Vivian Fawley, very dear friends of mine," Dumbledore introduced them.

William was blond and very tall, his spectacles sitting on the bridge of his sharp nose. His wife Vivian was beautiful and thin, her dark brown shoulder-length hair perfectly curled.

Hermione would have guessed that William was in his late forties, while Vivian looked like she was in her late thirties. From the astonished look plastered on Draco's face, Hermione could tell that they were definitely not what he was expecting.

"Hello Hermione and Draco," Vivian greeted, parting her cherry red lips to give them a warm smile. Hermione was suddenly aware of how chapped and dry her own lips were.

"It's a pleasure to meet you both," William said. He stepped forward and offered them his hand.

"Hello," Hermione said shyly as she shook his hand. Draco's face still wore a dumbfounded expression when William gave him a firm handshake.

"Albus has told us about your situation. We'd be delighted to have you both stay with us."

"We understand we are to be your fake parents." Vivian laughed and turned to her husband. "It's all quite exciting, isn't it, darling?"

"Very much so," William agreed enthusiastically.

"Yes, much work must be done before Draco and Hermione go to Hogwarts," Dumbledore said. "I will talk to Headmaster Dippet and inform him that you both have been home-schooled by your parents but now wish to experience a real school for your seventh year. You all must invent the perfect cover up story. It must be completely plausible, or your mission will be compromised."

"We understand, Albus," William assured the elder wizard.

"Professor, what if Headmaster Dippet isn't willing to accept us at Hogwarts? I mean, it's rather unorthodox, starting Hogwarts at our age," Hermione voiced her concern.

"Do not fret, Headmaster Dippet will certainly be pleased to welcome two bright students from such a good family," Dumbledore said. "You'll both be in good hands with the Fawleys. If you need anything, feel free to drop me an owl. Once Headmaster Dippet enrols you as students, you'll receive your Hogwarts letters."

"Right, we should be off now, there's lots to do," William said. The Fawleys said their goodbyes to Dumbledore and left through the front door.

"Thank you for everything, Professor," Hermione said sincerely.

"You are more than welcome," Dumbledore chuckled. "Hermione, Draco, I'll see you on the first of September."

Draco, in typical fashion, didn't give Dumbledore as much as a second glance as he and Hermione both walked out of Dumbledore's house and caught up with the Fawleys.

"Right, let's Apparate home then," William suggested.

"Where is home, exactly?" Hermione inquired.

"We live near St. Levan in Cornwall," he replied. "Lovely little Muggle village."

"You'll have to Apparate with us," Vivian said, as she offered Draco her hand. He hesitated for a moment, but once their hands were joined they disappeared with a loud pop.

William gave Hermione a smile as he grabbed her hand firmly, and before she could prepare herself, she experienced that extremely uncomfortable, queasy feeling that she knew to be Side-Along Apparition.

As they arrived in their new location, Hermione took a few seconds to shake off her urge to vomit before taking in her surroundings. They had Apparated onto a cobblestone pathway leading to the front of a beautiful country house, with vines crawling up the stone walls. It sat on the edge of a high grassy cliff overlooking the vast sea.

"Welcome to Saltford Hall, your new home," Vivian announced exuberantly. Draco, who was standing next to her, looked rather unimpressed.

"It's so beautiful!" Hermione said, in awe.

"My family originally built this as a vacation house, but Vivian loved it so much we made it our permanent home when we were married," William explained.

"Come inside, we'll give you a tour." Vivian beckoned to both Hermione and Draco.

They walked up to the big blue front doors, which Vivian unlocked with a quick tap of her wand before they entered the house. It was just as picturesque inside as it was outside. It was decorated luxuriously, but not in the same excessive, ostentatious way that Hermione knew many wealthy families did in order to show off their wealth. The Fawleys took them around from room to room, telling little stories about themselves along the way.

"And this," Vivian said as they walked into another room on the second floor. "Will be your bedroom, Hermione."

Just like the rest of the house, the room was unsurprisingly tasteful and clean, but what really excited Hermione was the large window that faced the sea, ensuring that there would always be a stunning view.

"I hope you find it to your liking," Vivian said hopefully.

"I love it," Hermione told her, almost giddy with delight.

"Draco, I'll show you to your bedroom," William said to Draco, and the two men left the room.

"I know you must be very tired. You should take a bath first and freshen up. Your bathroom is right through that door. I'll bring you something more… comfortable to wear." Vivian eyed the outfit Hermione was wearing – a pair of old jeans and a sweater – with suspicion.

After Vivian left, Hermione went to the bathroom and took a long bath in the bathtub. She was so used to taking showers that she forgot how relaxing a bath could be. Hermione swore she could almost feel all the tension and distress that she was feeling dissipate from her body and into the warm, soapy water.

She wondered what would have happened if Harry or Ron had been given the task of finding the diadem with Draco instead of her. Would they be the ones stuck fifty-two years in the past? Maybe they wouldn't have even found that wretched box. In fact, she was almost certain that they would have tried to hex each other and wound up in the Hospital Wing before they even reached the Room of Requirement. When Hermione's mum used to take her shopping as a young girl, she used to always remind her not to touch anything in stores because she might break something or cause an accident. Perhaps Hermione should have taken her advice this time.

She sighed. There was no point wondering what might have been. The fact was that she was here now, and she had to focus on making the most of a bad situation. What was it that people said about a blessing in disguise? As much as it pained her to even think it, Draco Malfoy was right. They had the chance to change history for the better.

A few hours later, Hermione found herself sitting at the dining table with the rest of her fake family. They were enjoying a hearty meal that Vivian had cooked with the help of their house elf, Sooky. When Hermione first saw the house elf she felt her S.P.E.W. instincts kick in, but she held her tongue because she thought it would be incredibly disrespectful of her to criticise the Fawleys when they had welcomed them so graciously into their home. As far as she could see, the Fawleys seemed to treat Sooky as if she was part of the family.

"I still can't wrap my head around what you two have been through! You both must be so glad that you have each other, at least. It's always nice to have a friend around," Vivian said.

"Friend?" Draco let out an indignant scoff. "We are _not_ friends."

"You're not friends?" William sounded confused.

"We're classmates," Hermione explained briefly. She didn't really want to go into detail about their less than amicable relationship.

"I see." he nodded, clearly deciding not to pursue the subject further.

"Do you miss your family awfully?" Vivian asked.

"Yes, I do. But to be honest, today has been so crazy that I haven't thought about my parents much," Hermione replied.

"What about your parents, Draco?"

"I don't think I should tell you about my family," Draco said.

"I understand. I apologise for my nosiness; Albus did request us not to ask you any questions about the future," Vivian said. "Besides, I think we already know your family."

Hermione and Draco both froze and exchanged looks.

"You do?"

"Yes, because you look exactly like Lotharius Malfoy's son, Abraxas," William stated.

Hermione groaned and turned to Draco. "How can we possibly carry out our plan if everybody recognises you the second they see you?"

"What do you expect, he _is_ my grandfather!" Draco retorted.

"We could change your hair colour to a nice brown, perhaps?" Vivian suggested. "Nobody would make the connection if you didn't have the trademark blond Malfoy hair."

"Absolutely not. I happen to be very fond of my hair."

"Stop being unreasonable. If anyone becomes even a bit suspicious that you are related to the Malfoys, this mission will be over before it's even begun!" Hermione reasoned.

"Alright, alright!" he spat.

"Fabulous!" Vivian clapped her hands. "And then afterwards I can take you both to Diagon Alley to get some nice clothes!" Neither Draco nor Hermione seemed too excited about her idea. "I know we really shouldn't ask you anything else, but I just wanted to know… do you happen to know us in your time? Can you tell me something about us? Are we even still alive? Oh, I shouldn't be asking you this…"

Hermione scanned Draco's face for any indication on how he would respond. She hoped that Draco would refuse to say anything, as revealing too much about the future could be dangerous.

"You are both still happily married," Draco said. William and Vivian were delighted by his words. They beamed at each other and squeezed each other's hands.

"Thank you for telling us, Draco." William smiled appreciatively.

Hermione was astounded by Draco's unexpected lie, as she knew very well that he thought they were boring and bitter. He didn't have to say anything kind. Actually, he could have just not said anything at all. She was still pondering this as she and Draco left the dining room after dinner had ended.

"Malfoy—"

"What?" he snarled at her. "Going to get angry at me for divulging information about the future again?"

"No. That was really nice of you," she said.

"Don't sound so surprised."


	4. IV

Author's Note: Hi guys! I know the story has been progressing quite slowly, but I just wanted to make sure that I laid down all the foundations. Also, Tom finally makes his appearance!

* * *

**Once Upon Another Time**

**IV**

Before long, the first of September had arrived. Hermione and Draco had spent the last twelve days with the Fawleys, learning absolutely everything that they could about them and their family history. They had created a story that was believable enough, but Hermione hoped that she would not have to use it too frequently.

They stood together on a very busy Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. She couldn't believe that she was going to start a new year at Hogwarts for what would be both her first and seventh time. Even though she and Draco were supposed to be in Sixth Year, Dumbledore had lied to Headmaster Dippet about their age so that they would be enrolled as Seventh Years, since Tom Riddle himself was. Dumbledore told them in a letter that it would be impossible to be accepted into Riddle's inner circle unless they were the same in the same year, and in Slytherin.

_Slytherin_. Hermione felt squeamish at the thought of being sorted into the house she detested the most. She was a Gryffindor, and a proud one at that! Sure, it would be easy for her to get into Slytherin – Dumbledore informed her that he had a quiet word with the Sorting Hat – but how would she survive once she was there? Could she really hold her own against the likes of Tom Riddle and his coldblooded, foul friends?

Hermione glanced at Draco, whose hair was now a chestnut brown that was a few shades darker than her own. The change in hair colour seemed to make his face look livelier than it usually did, and Hermione was still getting used to how different he looked.

Hermione felt someone place a hand on her shoulder to get her attention.

"Before I forget, I want you to have this," Vivian said as she pulled something from her purse. It was an elegant gold necklace, from which hung a diamond-encrusted pendant of the Fawley family crest.

"This must be worth a fortune! I… I can't accept this." Hermione shook her head.

"Of course you can, dear!" her 'mother' insisted. "It's a family heirloom that is traditionally passed down through the women in the Fawley family, so it's only appropriate that people see you wearing it."

"Thank you. It's beautiful," Hermione said.

"You're very welcome. Here, let me help you put it on." Vivian swiftly clasped the necklace around Hermione's neck. "And you're quite right about it being worth a fortune, so don't misplace it."

It seemed that their presence on the platform had attracted quite the audience around them.

"It's William and Vivian Fawley!"

"Are those two their children?"

"No, that's impossible! They don't have any!"

"My word, I think they are!"

"Goodbye, my sweethearts!" Vivian said loudly, very aware of the people gossiping away around them. "Be good! You especially, Draco."

"Yes, mother," Draco played along. Vivian gave him a long hug before turning to Hermione.

"I'll miss you, mama," Hermione said as she hugged Vivian. "And you too, papa!"

"Study hard, alright?" William smiled. "Draco, take good care of your sister."

"I will, father," Draco said. "We better go now."

"Love you both very much!" Vivian shouted after Draco and Hermione as they stepped onto the train.

It seemed like all eyes were on them, which made Hermione feel very uncomfortable. They made their way to the very back of the train, where it was quiet and there weren't many students around. They chose an unoccupied compartment and put their suitcases on the railings above before sitting down across each other.

"Why do you look so nervous?" Draco eyed her.

"Because I am," she said plainly.

"Well stop it."

"I can't!"

"Granger—"

"You should stop calling me that. You might accidentally let it slip in public," Hermione reminded him.

"Fine, _Hermione_," he said her name as if it was some sort of infectious disease.

"Thank you, _Draco_." she gave him a fake smile. "Maybe we should quiz each other again."

"For crying out loud, we've gone over this a million times!"

"Well maybe we should go over it a million and one times just to be sure."

"Fine, if that's what it'll take to get you to shut up," he conceded.

"When's my birthday?" she asked.

"September 19th," he said automatically.

"Biggest fear?"

"Heights."

"My favourite book?"

"A tie between 'Sites of Historical Sorcery' and 'World Mythology'," Draco recited easily. Hermione's actual favourite book was actually Hogwarts: A History, but seeing as it would be many years before it would actually be written and published, she had to choose an alternative. "Come on, give me some harder questions."

"What did you give me for Christmas two years ago?"

"A miniature unicorn figurine."

"Alright, your turn," Hermione said, satisfied with his answers.

"What team do I support?"

"Falmouth Falcons."

"How did I get this?" Draco pointed to a long scar on his arm. Hermione knew very well it was a result of Buckbeak attacking him in their Third Year, but they had decided to come up with a less interesting story that did not involve Hippogriffs to avoid further questions.

"You fell out of a tree and got cut by a branch when you were seven. We were playing hide and seek."

"What do I want to do once I've finished school?"

"You want to work for the Ministry in the Department of Magical Games and Sports, but our father also wants you to spend some time with him at St. Mungo's so you can take over his position as director someday."

Just then, something on the train platform caught Draco's eye. Hermione looked out the window, and saw a group of boys greeting each other and conversing animatedly.

"Do you know them?"

"That's definitely Adrian Nott, Theo's father. The one next to him is Leander Lestrange; I've seen a picture of him before in my uncle Rodolphus' house. And that one… is Abraxas Malfoy."

It wasn't hard for Hermione to single him out. Abraxas Malfoy had the same flaxen hair, alabaster skin and grey eyes that all Malfoys did, and held a striking resemblance to both Lucius and Draco. Hermione had concluded that the Malfoy genes must have been very dominant, as Draco hardly looked like his mother.

"He really does look like you," Hermione said. "I can't say how relieved I am that you changed your hair colour."

"Yeah," Draco agreed absentmindedly. His eyes were still glued to his grandfather.

So these boys were part of Tom Riddle's gang. Hermione gulped. Was Tom Riddle himself there as well? Before Hermione could observe them more closely, they walked away from her line of sight, and she assumed they were probably getting onto the train.

Soon after the clock struck eleven and the train departed, Draco fell asleep. Hermione was too on edge to even think about having a nap. Apart from a few quick trips to the toilet, Hermione confined herself to the privacy of the compartment. The idea of interacting with the other students scared her immensely, especially when Draco was not present. He was undoubtedly the better liar and actor of the two of them.

When the train finally came to a stop at Hogsmeade Station, Hermione and Draco were greeted at the platform by an elderly man named Apollyon Pringle, who was the caretaker at Hogwarts.

"Headmaster Dippet has asked me to escort you to the castle," Pringle said croakily. "Come with me."

Pringle turned and walked hurriedly towards the carriages, with Hermione and Draco trailing behind. Most of the students had already made their way to the castle, but there was a group of boys walking ahead of them. It was Tom Riddle's gang.

"Isn't that right, Tom?" Hermione overheard one of the boys say. She froze and felt a chill shoot up her spine.

Tom Riddle.

Apparently Draco had heard the name as well, because his face immediately twisted in fury.

"I'll kill him!" Draco snarled, reaching for his wand.

"Stop it!" Hermione pulled at his arm. "We have to think this through."

"What else is there to think about? Voldemort is right there!" he said angrily.

"You can't kill someone in public, they'll send you straight to Azkaban for the rest of your life and then you _really_ will be stuck in this time forever! Please Draco, we need to do this properly."

Draco took a deep breath and reluctantly lowered this wand, much to Hermione's relief.

"Don't straggle behind!" Pringle called out to them as he waited beside a carriage.

Hermione thought arriving at Hogwarts Castle would be like coming home, but the place felt almost foreign to her. This wasn't _her_ Hogwarts. Her heart sunk at the thought, and once again she started to think that coming here wasn't such a good idea after all.

The Sorting ceremony was well underway by the time they made it to the Entrance Hall, evident by the loud cheers that were erupting from the Great Hall every time a new student was sorted to their new house.

"The First Years are being sorted now," Pringle said as they waited outside the Great Hall. "When they're done, Headmaster Dippet will announce your arrival and then you will be sorted into your houses."

After all the cheering had subsided, they heard a booming voice speak, "I'm very pleased to announce that we have two very special students also joining us for their Seventh Year, Draco and Hermione Fawley!"

The doors to the Great Hall swung open before Hermione realised what was happening, and suddenly every single person inside the room had their eyes on them. Headmaster Dippet was beaming at them from his spot at the podium. Hermione looked at Draco, but if he was nervous, he sure wasn't showing it. They made their way to the front of the hall, where Professor Dumbledore was waiting for them with the Sorting Hat.

"Mr. Fawley, if you please," Dumbledore gestured to the stool. Draco sat down as he was told.

"Slytherin!" the hat shouted before it even touched his head, in the same way it had done when Draco was sorted as a First Year. The Slytherin table immediately burst into wild applause and cheering. The reaction was exactly what Hermione had expected; he was the sole male heir to the vast Fawley fortune, after all.

Draco took a seat at the Slytherin table next to the Seventh Year boys, who all took turns shaking hands with him.

"Miss Fawley." Dumbledore motioned to Hermione and gave her a quick smile that nobody else could see as she sat down.

She was just preparing herself for when the Sorting Hat would enter her mind, when it suddenly bellowed, "Slytherin!"

Once again, the Slytherin table roared. Hermione made her way to her new house table and sat down next to Draco, trying to hide her discomfort. Sitting on the wrong side of the Great Hall made her feel like she was betraying the Gryffindor in her.

"Welcome to Slytherin," the boy sitting directly across her said. His voice was melodic. "My name is Tom Riddle, Head Boy."

Hermione could have sworn that her heart stopped at that very moment, and for more reasons than one. There was no other way for Hermione to put it—Tom Riddle was incandescently good-looking. He had high cheekbones, a chiselled jaw, and his dark brown hair was neatly parted to the side. And his eyes.

_His eyes!_ They were an exquisite, vivid turquoise that Hermione would have gotten lost in if Draco hadn't given her a soft kick under the table.

Hermione blinked. Did she really just swoon like a pathetic teenage girl over the deranged boy who would one day make her best friend an orphan? A sense of hatred suddenly rushed through her when she reminded herself this boy was just a younger version of Lord Voldemort.

"Hermione Fawley," she said with a forced smile.

As Headmaster Dippet announced the start of the feast and people began to dig in, Cassius Rosier, Leander Lestrange, Victor Avery, Abraxas Malfoy, Felix Mulciber and Adrian Nott introduced themselves to her one by one. These were the six boys that Riddle was always surrounded by. Draco had told her before that they called themselves the 'Knights of Walpurgis', otherwise known as Lord Voldemort's very first Death Eaters.

They made polite conversation with each other as they ate. Unsurprisingly, the Slytherins had many questions about their lives and their family, all of which Draco and Hermione answered easily. Hermione was completely surprised by how normal and courteous they all seemed, with the exception of Leander Lestrange, who had a bit of a wild glint in his eye.

"Are you twins?" Abraxas asked.

"Oh, no, we were actually born nine months apart," Hermione said.

"Wow, that's quite uncommon," Cassius commented. "Do you play Quidditch, Draco?"

"I do." Draco nodded. "I'm a Seeker."

"Are you any good? Our Seeker graduated last year, you see, and we need to find a replacement for him," Felix said.

Hermione, completely uninterested in the topic of Quidditch, switched her attention back to her plate. She felt two pairs of eyes on her and glanced up, only to find they belonged to Tom Riddle.

The way he was staring at her made her feel extremely uneasy.


End file.
